Detoxification, whether for alcohol or drug abuse, is the process of removing all residual traces of the substance from the body. Because stoppage of any drug, including alcohol, can trigger often severe side effects as well as intense cravings, the withdrawal phase of recovery is often unpleasant and dreaded enough to prevent many substance abusers from seeking treatment. Alcohol and drug detox, done under medical supervision, is a managed process which helps the addict through this vital phase of recovery. It is conducted on an inpatient or outpatient basis in accordance with the severity of the addiction, which can only be evaluated by a qualified physician.

The detox process can be dangerous and is best managed under medical supervision. Sudden stoppage of drugs or alcohol can trigger symptoms as dangerous as the addiction itself; improperly managed, these can be life-threatening. Alcohol and drug detox is therefore best left to professionals rather than to individuals or family members hoping to help a person quit "cold turkey." It is best to seek treatment at a drug detox center or through a drug or alcohol treatment program. These offer a holistic approach to the problem, a whole mind and body course of treatment to get at the physical as well as psychological problems associated with addiction. Unfortunately, simply seeking the support of fellow addicts, as in the Alcohols Anonymous model, does not offer treatment for the physical component of addiction and therefore relapse rates are high for those who depend on AA alone.

Effective detoxification programs offer a rounded course of treatment, from medications designed to ease the body's cravings, to counseling to understand the root causes of the addiction, to behavior modification and self-transformation. The recovering addict is supported and helped through the process of establishing and maintaining an emotional equilibrium adequate to living a life free of the substance which formerly controlled his or her life. This is accomplished by identifying those factors which enabled the abuse to begin with and dealing with the physical and emotional dependency.

Treatment for drug addiction is a long and often complicated process, but one that turns thousands of lives around every year. For addiction of any type or any severity, help is available and should never be shunned on the grounds that “it’s too late.” Even hard-core drug abusers get clean eve

Our modern world has a drug for everything. Painful or debilitating conditions that our ancestors simply had to live with today can be treated, often quite easily, with the right combination of drugs. “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning” is an old joke that nevertheless accurately descr

Abuse of prescription drugs has actually overtaken cocaine and heroin abuse in some parts of the country. As a general problem it continues to rise everywhere in the United States, in rural and urban areas alike. Prescription drugs taken for pain, anxiety, insomnia, mood swings, and many other real

Recovery from prescription drug abuse is best handled through a qualified drug detox center or residential drug treatment program which is set up to handle the sometimes dangerous side effects of withdrawal. There are many advantages to inpatient care at such a facility, not least of which is the 24